Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness announced on Friday that her organization will demand the immediate resignation of Gianni Infantino, deepening the crisis within world football's governing body.
The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) announced on Friday, August 7, 2026, that it will officially call for the resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The decision was communicated by NFF President Lise Klaveness at a press conference in Stockholm, a day after the federation's board meeting.
"We will ask the FIFA President to step down now," Klaveness said, as reported by AFP. The Norwegian federation has thus become one of the most vocal critics of Infantino's leadership ahead of the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for March 2026, in which the current chief is seeking another term.
In a sharp address to journalists, as reported by Reuters, Klaveness explained the reasons behind this move. "He does not have the institutional trust needed for stable governance of FIFA in the times we are in. There is no way back for Gianni Infantino. International football cooperation is in deep trouble, and we must have a reason to come together now, and we want to ask the FIFA President to step down now," she said.
The NFF President also emphasized the gravity of the situation in world football. "We have reached a situation that requires extraordinary measures to bring about lasting change," Klaveness said, adding that "irreversible breaches" have occurred.
The Norwegian Football Federation has made it clear that it will not back the current president in the upcoming elections. This stance comes amid an ongoing conflict among world football's leading bodies, sparked by FIFA's controversial proposal to sell part of the commercial future of the World Cup, which was eventually abandoned.
Interestingly, Lise Klaveness herself has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Infantino. Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has publicly expressed his desire for her to take on the role. However, Klaveness dismissed such speculation. "I notice that my name is being mentioned, but that is not the topic at all. We are not ready for that. It should be about the matter, not the person. That's how we work. We are not there yet," she told SVT Nyheter.
The call for resignation from Norway is the latest in a series of criticisms directed at Infantino during his tenure. Although specific details about the nature of the "irreversible breaches" mentioned by Klaveness have not been fully elaborated, it is clear that discontent among FIFA member associations is deepening ahead of the crucial elections in March. It remains to be seen whether other national federations will join the Norwegian initiative and call for a change at the top of world football's governing body.
